International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 18-21, 2004 / Town & Country Resort, San Diego, California / FLL’s are extensively used for fast carrier synchronization. A common approach to meet the wide acquisition range and sufficiently small tracking error requirements is to adopt the wide or narrow band FLL loop in the acquisition and tracking modes and direct switching the loop. The paper analyze the influence of direct switching on performance, including the narrow band loop convergence, transition time etc. and propose applying the Kalman filtering theory to realize the seamless switching (SS) with time-varying loop gains between the two different loop tracking state. The SS control gains for the high dynamic digital spread spectrum receiver is derived. Simulation results for the SS compared to the direct switching demonstrate the improved performance.

ITC/USA 2010 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Sixth Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 25-28, 2010 / Town and Country Resort & Convention Center, San Diego, California / In this article we present a design of an L-band slot loop antenna with a dielectric loaded conductor backed coplanar waveguide (CBCPW) feed. The coplanar slot loop antenna has a transmission line resonator in series. We used full wave electromagnetic simulations with Ansoft's high frequency structure simulator (HFSS) software in the design of the coplanar slot loop antenna. The series transmission line resonator helps to tune the coplanar slot loop antenna and reduce its size. We present here results on return loss and radiations patterns of coplanar slot loop antenna obtained from HFSS simulations.

Cys-loop receptors are membrane proteins that are key players for the fast synaptic neurotransmission. Their ion transport initiates new nerve signals after activation by small agonist molecules, but this function is also highly sensitive to allosteric modulation by a number of compounds such as anesthetics, alcohol or anti-parasitic agents. For a long time, these modulators were believed to act primarily on the membrane, but the availability of high- resolution structures has made it possible to identify several binding sites in the transmembrane domains of the ion channels. It is known that ligand binding in the extracellular domain causes a conformational earthquake that interacts with the transmembrane domain, which leads to channel opening. The investigations carried out in this thesis aim at understanding the connection between ligand binding and channel opening. I present new models of the mammalian GABAA receptor based on the eukaryotic structure GluCl co-crystallized with an anti-parasitic agent, and show how these models can be used to study receptor-modulator interactions. I also show how removal of the bound modulator leads to gradual closing of the channel in molecular dynamics simulations. In contrast, simulations of the receptor with both the agonist and the modulator remain stable in an open-like conformation. This makes it possible to extract several key interactions, and I propose mechanisms for how the extracellular domain motion is initiated. The rapid increase in the number of cys-loop receptor structures the last few years has further made it possible to use principal component analysis (PCA) to create low-dimensional descriptions of the conformational landscape. By performing PCA on the crystal structure ensemble, I have been able to divide the structures into functional clusters and sample the transitions between them using various sampling methods. The studies presented in this thesis contribute to our understanding of the gating mechanism and the functional clustering of the cys-loop receptor structures, which both are important to design new allosteric modulator drugs that influence the channel function, in particular to treat neurological disorders. / <p>QC 20160518</p>

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 26-29, 1998 / Town & Country Resort Hotel and Convention Center, San Diego, California / PSK demodulators have been an integral part of the signal recovery process for decades. Unless a person has designed a demodulator, how much can a person know or understand about its operation? Instruction on how to set up a demodulator’s parameters to acquire a signal is found in a manual. An explanation of why parameters are set a certain way to handle particular input signal characteristics is often not provided in a manual. This paper is designed to be a tool to aid engineers, technicians, and operators who utilize demodulators. Its purpose is to relay the functionality of a demodulator to a user so that he or she can take advantage of its control parameters and status feedback. Knowing the reasons why a demodulator is set to certain parameters may greatly reduce confusion when a system is not working properly. On site troubleshooting may be accomplished without the need to call the manufacturer of the product. Another advantage of understanding the operation will be recognized when interfacing with the manufacturer. A person will be able to relay the information to a design engineer more easily, and will understand more of the engineer’s feedback on the potential problem. Utilizing this paper as an aid to enhance operation of a PSK demodulator will bring a user one step closer to understanding the complexity of its design.

Theory suggests that IT-systems can be used in the promotion of learning within an organization. However, this area of research is in the current time of writing relatively unexplored. This paper focuses on double-loop learning, a concept introduced by Chris Argyris in the 1970s. It is argued that this type of learning is highly beneficial for the success and further development of an organization. The empirical material of this study has been gathered through a qualitative case study at the public authority, the Swedish Forest Agency. The findings of this study indicate that the IT-system could be used as a catalyst promoting double-loop learning. Factors enabling double-loop learning were identified at the organization and were used in distinguishing whether the organization experienced double- loop learning through their IT-system, or not. As the paper aspires to answer to the theoretical gap, it acts as academical stepping-stone, equipping further researcher with contributory material to use in further research.

Acute and chronic sleeping sickness are fatal neglected tropical diseases caused by Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and Trypanosoma brucei gambiense respectively (members of the sub-genus Trypanozoon). Accurate diagnostics are needed to guide treatment since the symptoms of disease are non-specific and the drugs that are used for treatment are too toxic to be administered to unconfirmed cases. Tests need to be simple enough to confirm clinical diagnosis of sleeping sickness in poorly-resourced, peripheral health centres and for use as epidemiological tools to detect T. b. rhodesiense in the zoonotic reservoirs of infection. This study focuses upon LAMP (loop-mediated isothermal amplification) as a novel diagnostic for sleeping sickness that may serve to bridge the gap between the need for sensitive, specific molecular diagnostics on the one hand and ‘field-friendly’ diagnostics on the other. Here, two previously published LAMP assays for Trypanozoons were compared to classic PCR based methods for the diagnosis of Trypanozoon infection status in 428 cattle blood samples. The results did not support the use of LAMP as an improved system for surveillance of T. b. rhodesiense in the zoonotic cattle reservoir. T. b. rhodesiense and T. b. gambiense subspecies specific LAMP assays were evaluated against traditional reference subspecies specific PCR tests, using DNA purified from 86 cryopreserved trypanosome isolates. Novel LAMP assays for these subspecies were also designed and evaluated. Both the published and novel assays for T. b. rhodesiense (targeting different regions of the SRA gene) were sensitive, specific and reliable when applied to purified DNAs, but were less consistent on field samples. The novel T. b. gambiense LAMP (targeting TgsGP) was sensitive and specific but this was not the case for the published LAMP assay (targeting the 5.8S rRNA gene). However reliability may be less than optimal for LAMP TgsGP. Finally, simple endpoint readout methods for LAMP were evaluated. The colour change reagent hydroxynaphthol blue was identified as the best currently available method taking cost, ease of use and reliability into consideration. In 2009 the number of reported sleeping sickness cases fell below 10,000 for the first time in 50 years. Improved LAMP diagnostics could facilitate the diagnosis of sleeping sickness and support the continued fight against this neglected, but deadly disease.

The adult kidney consists of hundreds of thousands of fine epithelial tubules as functional units called nephrons. Nephrons have U-shaped tubules: loops of Henle that descend from the cortex to the medulla. This radial arrangement is critical to maintain water homeostasis in the kidney. Although Henle’s loops are crucial to renal physiology, the cue(s) they uses to navigate to the medulla are not understood. In this thesis, I investigate how the loop of Henle elongates during mouse renal development and show that it is probably guided to the medulla by diffusible, heparin-binding molecules. I used immumohistochemistry (IHC) on cryosections of embryonic kidneys to study the natural anatomy of the Henle’s loop. I used a low-volume culture system to allow embryonic kidneys (both natural and tissue-engineered) to form loops of Henle ex vivo and manipulated their direction of growth. Time-lapse imaging of Lgr-5 EGFP embryonic kidneys demonstrated the movement of the apex of the loop which suggested the idea of guidance cue(s) acting on the loop of Henle. Cut-and-paste experiments showed that loops appeared to be attracted to maturing collecting duct. Co-culture with an exogenous tubule inducer suggested the embryonic spinal cord as another source to attract the loops. Using raTAL (rat thick ascending loop of Henle) and 6TA2 (embryonic collecting duct cells) cell lines, I designed and performed a cell migration assay to test whether raTAL was attracted to 6TA2 cells. raTAL cells were notably attracted to 6TA2 cells compared to other cell lines. raTAL cells were also attracted to 6TA2-conditioned medium, which indicated that raTAL cells were attracted by secreted molecule(s). To begin to characterise those secreted molecule(s), heparin-binding protein-coated beads were used in the cell migration system and showed that at least one critical guidance factor is heparin-binding. From this study, I found that the apex of the Henle’s loop does move and loops are attracted by secreted molecule(s) possibly from the collecting duct. Although target molecule(s) were unidentified, this study provides the first mechanistic information about the guidance of the loop of Henle. Moreover, this was the first study of guidance of epithelial tubule shafts (rather than tips) adding to our understanding of general tubule morphogenesis.

Idag slängs en stor del av konsumenters använda textilprodukter i soptunnan för att sedan deponeras i stora sopområden, så kallade landfills. Vad många inte känner till är att en stor del av det som slängs egentligen går att återanvända. Genom att ta vara på nyttjade produkter kan företag minska användningen av råmaterial i produktion för att på sikt uppnå en sluten produktlivscykel. Syftet med den här uppsatsen är att, med hjälp av en kvalitativ ansats, undersöka hur textilföretag arbetar med att erhålla nyttjade produkter från konsumenten och återföra de tillbaka in i företaget. Genom att studera tidigare forskning inom området har vi identifierat fem nyckelprocesser i produktens väg från konsumenten tillbaka till företaget. Processerna är följande: Produktinsamling, Returlogistik, Sortering och disponering, Återanvändningsalternativ samt Omdistribution, vilka dessutom är de huvudområden som presenteras i den teoretiska referensramen. Den teoretiska referensramen mynnar ut i en syntesmodell som framtagits för att utföra en jämförande analys av empirin. Rapportens empiri har samlats in genom semi-strukturerade intervjuer. Resultatet av insamlad empiri från intervjuer bör bidra till ett mer uppdaterat synsätt på vilka utmaningar som textila företag, som har implementerat en Closed-loop Supply Chain, står inför. Förhoppningsvis kommer resultatet att frambringa lösningar för textilföretag som önskar förlänga eller stänga sina produktlivscykler. Studien granskar tre svenska textilföretag som idag har implementerat insamlingssystem, antingen internt eller via en tredjepartsorganisation. Det återanvändningsalternativ som används är främst återanvändning men till viss del även återvinning. Studien identifierar att ett problem som försvårar att stänga produktlivscykeln är att motivera konsumenten till att återlämna sina nyttjade plagg istället för att slänga dem. Textilföretagen ser även en svårighet med att få tillgång till teknik som möjliggör materialåtervinning. Ytterligare en aspekt som försvårar återvinningsprocessen är att textilbranschen idag ofta använder sig av heterogena material med fiberblandningar vilket gör det svårt att avgöra textiliernas materialinnehåll. Slutligen visar studien att avsaknaden av miljölagstiftning och direktiv inom textilbranschen leder till att det är svårt att definiera vad Closed-loop Supply Chain är, vilket försvårar hanteringen av textilavfall.

Denna studie har gjorts för att se hur en delaktighetsmodell i kommunal verksamhet fungerar i praktiken och om huvudsyftet, att ge personer med funktionsnedsättning ett ökat inflytande och en större delaktighet uppnås i realiteten. Detta då modellens utförande är tänkt att fungera utifrån ett nerifrån och upp perspektiv där personer med funktionsnedsättning själva ska ha möjlighet till inflytande och att få känna sig delaktiga i sin vardag.  Forskning som finns om delaktighetsmodellen är begränsad men forskarna är eniga om att det finns en problematik kring bemötande och kommunikation gentemot de funktionsnedsatta och att detta kräver utbildning hos personal och vägledare. Vi har använt oss av en kvalitativ metod med semistrukturerade intervjuer utifrån ett fenomenologiskt perspektiv. Deltagarna i studien är chefer, personal och vägledare från kommunal verksamhet i Västra Götalands region och de arbetar med personer med funktionsnedsättning. De teorier vi använt oss av är Habermas kommunikationsteori och Foucaults maktteori. Frågeställningar som respondenterna fick reflektera över, var bland annat deras syn på vad delaktighet hos personer med funktionsnedsättning är för dem och om de upplever någon förändring i sitt bemötande. Vi har även haft ett intresse i att ta reda på om det är personerna med funktionsnedsättning själva som får bestämma vilka ämnen som anses relevanta att vara delaktiga i och om besluten de fattar verkligen träder i kraft. Förhållningssättet vi utgått ifrån har varit kritiskt med fokus på dialog, makt och dold makt. Vad som har framkommit i resultatet är att modellen har bidragit till ett förändrat arbetssätt hos personal. Makten har omfördelats mellan personal och brukare. Alla intervjupersoner tror på modellen men har farhågor över att modellen kommer att stanna upp och endast bidra med en tillfällig delaktighet, något som vi problematiserar i diskussionen. / This study has been made to see how a participatory model of municipal activities works in practice and whether the main purpose, to give users greater influence and a greater participation  is achieved in reality.  This  is  because the  model's  design  as  a  bottom -up perspective, where users themselves should have the opportunity to influence and to feel involved in their everyday lives. Even though the research about the participation model is limited the scientists agree that there is a problem about the behavior and communication to the clients, this will require training of staff and counselors. We have used a qualitative method of semi-structured interviews based on a phenomenological perspective. Study participants are managers, staff and counselors from local government activities in the Västra Götaland region, and they work with clients who have disabilities. The theories we have used is Habermas's communication theory and Foucault's power theory. Questions that respondents did reflect on included their views on the participation of the clients and if they experienced any change in the approach towards clients. We also had an interest in finding out whether it is the users themselves who should determine what themes they considered relevant to be involved in and if the decisions they make actually give effect. The approach we have assumed has been critical and of focus on dialogue, power and hidden power. What has emerged in the results is that the model has contributed to a changed approach of the staff. The power has been shifted between staff and clients. As we have problematized the discussion, all interviewees believe in the model but fear that the model will not be continued and only be a temporary activity.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / November 04-07, 1991 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / Early in the 1980s White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) began studying the problem of updating the Telemetry Tracking Systems (TTS) used to support test range missions. The information and equipment available at that time indicated that very little technology advancement had occurred in the area of TTS. Because the TTS usually have a long service life, it was imperative that the new or updated systems be as good as the state-of-the-art in todays technology could produce. Because of the lack of technology advancements, it was evident that drastic measures would be required to achieve the objectives of the update effort. These findings resulted in a program called the Advanced Telemetry Tracking System Integration and Development (ATTSID). Its objective was to determine if it was possible to apply advanced computer technology to the solution of servosystem problems characteristic in most TTS. This paper and three related papers, The Advanced Telemetry Tracking Servosystem; An Automated Testing System for a Telemetry Tracking System; and The Microcomputer-based Digital Controller for the Advanced Telemetry Tracking System; document the objectives, design considerations, fabrication and evaluation of a prototype TTS. It utilizes a dedicated computer system to control, compensate the servo position loop, and provide automated testing of the servo and RF receiving systems. This computer system was installed and evaluated in one of the WSMR Transportable Telemetry Acquisition Systems (TTAS) for evaluation and refinement of the system. The results of this program will determine the evolution of TTS and extend the use of computer technology to providing more reliable and accurate telemetry tracking support of test range operations.